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Section11:TimeofConcentration
Timeofconcentration(tc)isthetimerequiredforanentirewatershedtocontributetorunoffatthepointof
interestforhydraulicdesignthistimeiscalculatedasthetimeforrunofftoflowfromthemosthydraulically
remotepointofthedrainageareatothepointunderinvestigation.Traveltimeandtcarefunctionsoflength
andvelocityforaparticularwatercourse.Alongbutsteepflowpathwithahighvelocitymayactuallyhavea
shortertraveltimethanashortbutrelativelyflatflowpath.Theremaybemultiplepathstoconsiderin
determiningthelongesttraveltime.Thedesignermustidentifytheflowpathalongwhichthelongesttravel
timeislikelytooccur.
Inwatershedswithlow(flat)topographicslope,thecalculationoftcusingcommonlyacceptedequationswith
slopeinthedenominatoroftenresultsinunreasonablylargevalues.Thatis,astheslopeapproacheszero,the
traveltimeapproachesinfinity.Inaddition,sinceintensityisafunctionofdepthdividedbytc,alongtc
producesaverysmallintensityandthussmallflowrate.Clevelandetal.2012recommendsanadjustmentof
0.0005totheslopeinboththeKerbyandKirpichmethodstoallowmorerealisticresultsforlowtopographic
slopewatersheds.
TheadjustedslopebecomesSlowslope=S0+0.0005(dimensionless)
Iftheslopeislessthan0.002ft/ft(0.2%),alowslopeconditionexistsandtheadjustedslopeshould
beused.
Iftheslopeisbetween0.002ft/ft(0.2%)and0.003ft/ft(0.3%),thesituationistransitionalandthe
usermustusejudgmentonwhetherornottousethelowslopeadjustment.
Whenrunoffiscomputedusingtherationalmethod,tcistheappropriatestormdurationandinturndetermines
theappropriateprecipitationintensity.
Whenpeakdischargeandstreamflowtimingarecomputedusingthehydrographmethod,tcisusedtocompute
certainrainfallrunoffparametersforthewatershed.Thevalueoftcisusedasaninputtodefinethe
appropriatestormdurationandappropriateprecipitationdepth.
Whenapplicable,theKerbyKirpichmethod(Rousseletal.2005)istobeusedforestimatingtc.TheNational
ResourcesConservationService(1986)methodisalsocommonlyusedandacceptable.Bothofthesemethods
estimatetcasthesumoftraveltimesfordiscreteflowregimes.

KerbyKirpichMethod
Rousseletal.2005concludethat,ingeneral,Kirpichinclusiveapproaches,[andparticularly]theKerby
Kirpichapproach,forestimatingwatershedtimeofconcentrationarepreferable.TheKerbyKirpichapproach
requirescomparativelyfewinputparameters,isstraightforwardtoapply,andproducesreadilyinterpretable
results.TheKerbyKirpichapproachproducestimeofconcentrationestimatesconsistentwithwatershedtime
valuesindependentlyderivedfromrealworldstormsandrunoffhydrographs.Similartoothermethodsfor
calculationoftc,thetotaltimeofconcentrationisobtainedbyaddingtheoverlandflowtime(Kerby)andthe
channelflowtime(Kirpich):

Equation413.
Where:
t =overlandflowtime
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tov=overlandflowtime
tch=channelflowtime
TheKerbyKirpichmethodforestimatingtcisapplicabletowatershedsrangingfrom0.25squaremilesto150
squaremiles,mainchannellengthsbetween1and50miles,andmainchannelslopesbetween0.002and0.02
(ft/ft)(Rousseletal.2005).
Mainchannelslopeiscomputedasthechangeinelevationfromthewatersheddividetothewatershedoutlet
dividedbythecurvilineardistanceofthemainchannel(primaryflowpath)betweenthewatersheddivideand
theoutlet.
Nowatershedswithlowtopographicslopesareavailableintheunderlyingdatabase.Therefore,theKerbyand
Kerpichmethodsarenotusuallyapplicabletowatershedswithlimitedtopographicslope.However,Cleveland
etal.2012makesrecommendationsforadjustmentstothemethodtoallowmorerealisticresultsforlow
topographicslopewatersheds.SeeTimeofConcentration.

TheKerbyMethod
Forsmallwatershedswhereoverlandflowisanimportantcomponentofoveralltraveltime,theKerbymethod
canbeused.TheKerbyequationis

Equation414.
Where:
tov=overlandflowtimeofconcentration,inminutes
K=aunitsconversioncoefficient,inwhichK=0.828fortraditionalunitsandK=1.44forSIunits
L=theoverlandflowlength,infeetormetersasdictatedbyK
N=adimensionlessretardancecoefficient
S=thedimensionlessslopeofterrainconveyingtheoverlandflow
InthedevelopmentoftheKerbyequation,thelengthofoverlandflowwasasmuchas1,200feet(366meters).
Hence,thislengthisconsideredanupperlimitandshortervaluesinpracticegenerallyareexpected.The
dimensionlessretardancecoefficientusedissimilarinconcepttothewellknownManning'sroughness
coefficienthowever,foragiventypeofsurface,theretardancecoefficientforoverlandflowwillbe
considerablylargerthanforopenchannelflow.TypicalvaluesfortheretardancecoefficientarelistedinTable
45.Rousseletal.2005recommendsthattheusershouldnotinterpolatetheretardancecoefficientsinTable4
5.Ifitisdeterminedthatalowslopeconditionoratransitionalslopeconditionexists,theusershouldconsider
usinganadjustedslopeincalculatingthetimeofconcentration.SeeTimeofConcentration.
Table45:KerbyEquationRetardanceCoefficientValues
Generalizedterraindescription

Dimensionlessretardancecoefficient(N)

Pavement

0.02

Smooth,bare,packedsoil

0.10

Poorgrass,cultivatedrowcrops,ormoderately
roughpackedsurfaces

0.20

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Pasture,averagegrass

0.40

Deciduousforest

0.60

Densegrass,coniferousforest,ordeciduousforest
withdeeplitter

0.80

TheKirpichMethod
Forchannelflowcomponentofrunoff,theKirpichequationis:

Equation415.
Where:
tch=thetimeofconcentration,inminutes
K=aunitsconversioncoefficient,inwhichK=0.0078fortraditionalunitsandK=0.0195forSI
units
L=thechannelflowlength,infeetormetersasdictatedbyK
S=thedimensionlessmainchannelslope
Ifitisdeterminedthatalowslopeconditionoratransitionalslopeconditionexists,theusershould
considerusinganadjustedslopeincalculatingthetimeofconcentration.SeeTimeofConcentration.

ApplicationoftheKerbyKirpichMethod
Anexample(shownbelow)illustratingapplicationoftheKerbyKirpichmethodisinformative.Forexample,
supposeahydraulicdesignisneededtoconveyrunofffromasmallwatershedwithadrainageareaof0.5
squaremiles.Onthebasisoffieldexaminationandtopographicmaps,thelengthofthemainchannelfromthe
watershedoutlet(thedesignpoint)tothewatersheddivideis5,280feet.Elevationofthewatershedatthe
outletis700feet.Fromatopographicmap,elevationalongthemainchannelatthewatersheddivideis
estimatedtobe750feet.Theanalystassumesthatoverlandflowwillhaveanappreciablecontributiontothe
timeofconcentrationforthewatershed.Theanalystestimatesthatthelengthofoverlandflowisabout500
feetandthattheslopefortheoverlandflowcomponentis2percent(S=0.02).Thearearepresentingoverland
flowisaveragegrass(N=0.40).Fortheoverlandflowtc,theanalystappliestheKerbyequation,

fromwhichtovisabout25minutes.Forthechanneltch,theanalystappliestheKirpichequation,butfirst
dimensionlessmainchannelslopeisrequired,

orabout1percent.ThevalueforslopeandthechannellengthareusedintheKirpichequation,
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orabout1percent.ThevalueforslopeandthechannellengthareusedintheKirpichequation,

fromwhichtchisabout32minutes.Becausetheoverlandflowtovisusedforthiswatershed,thesubtractionof
theoverlandflowlengthfromtheoverallmainchannellength(watersheddividetooutlet)isnecessaryand
reflectedinthecalculation.Addingtheoverlandflowandchannelflowcomponentsofgivesawatershedof
about57minutes.Finally,asaquickcheck,theanalystcanevaluatethetcbyusinganadhocmethod
representingtc,inhours,asthesquarerootofdrainagearea,insquaremiles.Fortheexample,thesquareroot
ofthedrainageareayieldsatcestimateofabout0.71hoursorabout42minutes,whichisreasonablycloseto
57minutes.However,57minutesispreferable.ThisexampleisshowninFigure47.

Figure47.ExampleapplicationofKerbyKirpichmethod

NaturalResourcesConservationService(NRCS)MethodforEstimatingtc
TheNRCSmethodforestimatingtcisapplicableforsmallwatersheds,inwhichthemajorityofflowis
overlandflowsuchthattimingofthepeakflowisnotsignificantlyaffectedbythecontributionflowrouted
throughundergroundstormdrainsystems.WiththeNRCSmethod:

Equation416.
Where:
tsh=sheetflowtraveltime
tsc=shallowconcentratedflowtraveltime
tch=channelflowtraveltime
NRCS1986providesthefollowingdescriptionsoftheseflowcomponents:
Sheetflowisflowoverplanesurfaces,usuallyoccurringintheheadwaterofstreams.Withsheetflow,the
frictionvalueisaneffectiveroughnesscoefficientthatincludestheeffectofraindropimpactdragoverthe
planesurfaceobstaclessuchaslitter,cropridges,androcksanderosionandtransportationofsediment.
Sheetflowusuallybecomesshallowconcentratedflowafteraround100feet.
Openchannelsareassumedtobeginwheresurveyedcrosssectioninformationhasbeenobtained,where
channelsarevisibleonaerialphotographs,orwherebluelines(indicatingstreams)appearonUSGS
quadranglesheets.
Foropenchannelflow,considertheuniformflowvelocitybasedonbankfullflowconditions.Thatis,the
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Foropenchannelflow,considertheuniformflowvelocitybasedonbankfullflowconditions.Thatis,the
mainchannelisflowingfullwithoutflowintheoverbanks.Thisassumptionavoidsthesignificantiteration
associatedwithrainfallintensityordischarges(becauserainfallintensityanddischargearedependentontime
ofconcentration).
Forconduitflow,inaproposedstormdrainsystem,computethevelocityatuniformdepthbasedonthe
computeddischargeattheupstream.Otherwise,iftheconduitisinexistence,determinefullcapacityflowin
theconduit,anddeterminethevelocityatcapacityflow.Youmayneedtocomparethisvelocitylaterwiththe
velocitycalculatedduringconduitanalysis.Ifthereisasignificantdifferenceandtheconduitisarelatively
largecomponentofthetotaltravelpath,recomputethetimeofconcentrationusingthelattervelocityestimate.
Ifitisdeterminedthatalowslopeconditionoratransitionalslopeconditionexists,theusershouldconsider
usinganadjustedslopeincalculatingthetimeofconcentration.SeeTimeofConcentration.

SheetFlowTimeCalculation
Sheetflowtraveltimeiscomputedas:
Equation417.
Where:
tsh=sheetflowtraveltime(hr.)
nol=overlandflowroughnesscoefficient(providedinTable46)
Lsh=sheetflowlength(ft)(100ft.maximum)
P2=2year,24hrainfalldepth(in.)(providedintheTxDOT51301011)
Ssh=sheetflowslope(ft/ft)
Table46:OverlandFlowRoughnessCoefficientsforUseinNRCSMethodinCalculatingSheetFlow
TravelTime(NotManningsRoughnessCoefficient)(NRCS1986)
Surfacedescription

nol

Smoothsurfaces(concrete,asphalt,gravel,orbaresoil)

0.011

Fallow(noresidue)

0.05

Cultivatedsoils:

Residue%

0.06

Residuecover>20%

0.17

Grass:

Shortgrassprairie

0.15

Densegrasses

0.24

Bermuda

0.41

Range(natural):

0.13

Woods:

Lightunderbrush

0.40

Denseunderbrush

0.80

ShallowConcentratedFlow

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ShallowConcentratedFlow
Shallowconcentratedflowtraveltimeiscomputedas:
Equation418.
Where:
tsc=shallowconcentratedflowtime(hr.)
Lsc=shallowconcentratedflowlength(ft)
K=16.13forunpavedsurface,20.32forpavedsurface
Ssc=shallowconcentratedflowslope(ft/ft)

ChannelFlow
Channelflowtraveltimeiscomputedbydividingthechanneldistancebytheflowrateobtainedfrom
Manningsequation.Thiscanbewrittenas:
Equation419.
Where:
tch=channelflowtime(hr.)
Lch=channelflowlength(ft)
Sch=channelflowslope(ft/ft)
n=Manningsroughnesscoefficient
R=channelhydraulicradius(ft),andisequalto,where:a=crosssectionalarea(ft2)andpw=
wettedperimeter(ft),considertheuniformflowvelocitybasedonbankfullflowconditions.Thatis,
themainchannelisflowingfullwithoutflowintheoverbanks.Thisassumptionavoidsthe
significantiterationassociatedwithothermethodsthatemployrainfallintensityordischarges
(becauserainfallintensityanddischargearedependentontimeofconcentration).

ManningsRoughnessCoefficientValues
ManningsroughnesscoefficientsareusedtocalculateflowsusingManningsequation.ValuesfromAmerican
SocietyofCivilEngineers(ASCE)1992,FHWA2001,andChow1959arereproducedinTable47,Table48,
andTable49.
Table47:ManningsRoughnessCoefficientsforOpenChannels
Typeofchannel

Mannings
n

A.Naturalstreams
1.Minorstreams(topwidthatfloodstage<100ft)
a.Clean,straight,full,noriftsordeeppools

0.025
0.033

b.Sameasa,butmorestonesandweeds

0.030

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b.Sameasa,butmorestonesandweeds

0.030
0.040

c.Clean,winding,somepoolsandshoals

0.033
0.045

d.Sameasc,butsomeweedsandstones

0.035
0.050

e.Sameasd,lowerstages,moreineffective

0.040
0.055

f.Sameasd,morestones

0.045
0.060

g.Sluggishreaches,weedy,deeppools

0.050
0.080

h.Veryweedy,heavystandoftimberandunderbrush

0.075
0.150

i.Mountainstreamswithgravelandcobbles,fewbouldersonbottom

0.030
0.050

j.Mountainstreamswithcobblesandlargebouldersonbottom

0.040
0.070

2.Floodplains
a.Pasture,nobrush,shortgrass

0.025
0.035

b.Pasture,nobrush,highgrass

0.030
0.050

c.Cultivatedareas,nocrop

0.020
0.040

d.Cultivatedareas,maturerowcrops

0.025
0.045

e.Cultivatedareas,maturefieldcrops

0.030
0.050

f.Scatteredbrush,heavyweeds

0.035
0.070

g.Lightbrushandtreesinwinter

0.035
0.060

h.Lightbrushandtreesinsummer

0.040
0.080

i.Mediumtodensebrushinwinter

0.045
0.110

j.Mediumtodensebrushinsummer

0.070
0.160

k.Trees,densewillowssummer,straight
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0.200
0.030

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l.Trees,clearedlandwithtreestumps,nosprouts

0.030
0.050

m.Trees,clearedlandwithtreestumps,withsprouts

0.050
0.080

n.Trees,heavystandoftimber,fewdowntrees,floodstagebelowbranches

0.080
0.120

o.Trees,heavystandoftimber,fewdowntrees,floodstagereachingbranches

0.100
0.160

3.Majorstreams(topwidthatfloodstage>100ft)
a.Regularsectionwithnobouldersorbrush

0.025
0.060

b.Irregularroughsection

0.035
0.100

B.Excavatedordredgedchannels
1.Earth,straightanduniform
a.Clean,recentlycompleted

0.016
0.020

b.Clean,afterweathering

0.018
0.025

c.Gravel,uniformsection,clean

0.022
0.030

d.Withshortgrass,fewweeds

0.022
0.033

2.Earth,windingandsluggish
a.Novegetation

0.023
0.030

b.Grass,someweeds

0.025
0.033

c.Deepweedsoraquaticplantsindeepchannels

0.030
0.040

d.Earthbottomandrubblesides

0.028
0.035

e.Stonybottomandweedybanks

0.025
0.040

f.Cobblebottomandcleansides

0.030
0.050

g.Winding,sluggish,stonybottom,weedybanks
h.Denseweedsashighasflowdepth
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0.040
0.050
0.120
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3.Draglineexcavatedordredged
a.Novegetation

0.025
0.033

b.Lightbrushonbanks

0.035
0.060

4.Rockcuts
a.Smoothanduniform

0.025
0.040

b.Jaggedandirregular

0.035
0.050

5.Unmaintainedchannels
a.Denseweeds,highasflowdepth

0.050
0.120

b.Cleanbottom,brushonsides

0.040
0.080

c.Cleanbottom,brushonsides,higheststage

0.045
0.110

d.Densebrush,highstage

0.080
0.140

C.Linedchannels
1.Asphalt

0.013
0.016

2.Brick(incementmortar)

0.012
0.018

3.Concrete

a.Trowelfinish

0.011
0.015

b.Floatfinish

0.013
0.016

c.Unfinished

0.014
0.020

d.Gunite,regular

0.016
0.023

e.Gunite,wavy

0.018
0.025

4.Riprap(nvaluedependsonrocksize)

0.020
0.035

5.Vegetallining

0.030
0.500

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Table48:ManningsCoefficientsforStreetsandGutters
Typeofgutterorpavement

Manningsn

Concretegutter,troweledfinish

0.012

Asphaltpavement:smoothtexture

0.013

Asphaltpavement:roughtexture

0.016

Concretegutterwithasphaltpavement:smoothtexture

0.013

Concretegutterwithasphaltpavement:roughtexture

0.015

Concretepavement:floatfinish

0.014

Concretepavement:broomfinish

0.016

Table48note:Forgutterswithsmallslopeorwheresedimentmayaccumulate,increasenvaluesby0.02
(USDOT,FHWA2001).

Table49:ManningsRoughnessCoefficientsforClosedConduits(ASCE1982,FHWA2001)
Material

Manningsn

Asbestoscementpipe

0.0110.015

Brick

0.0130.017

Castironpipe

Cementlined&sealcoated

Concrete(monolithic)

0.0110.015

Smoothforms

0.0120.014

Roughforms

0.0150.017

Concretepipe

0.0110.015

Box(smooth)

0.0120.015

Corrugatedmetalpipe(21/2in.x1/2in.corrugations)

Plain

0.0220.026

Pavedinvert

0.0180.022

Spunasphaltlined

0.0110.015

Plasticpipe(smooth)

0.0110.015

Corrugatedmetalpipe(22/3in.by1/2in.annular)

0.0220.027

Corrugatedmetalpipe(22/3in.by1/2in.helical)

0.0110.023

Corrugatedmetalpipe(6in.by1in.helical)

0.0220.025

Corrugatedmetalpipe(5in.by1in.helical)

0.0250.026

Corrugatedmetalpipe(3in.by1in.helical)

0.0270.028

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Corrugatedmetalpipe(3in.by1in.helical)

0.0270.028

Corrugatedmetalpipe(6in.by2in.structuralplate)

0.0330.035

Corrugatedmetalpipe(9in.by21/2in.structuralplate)

0.0330.037

Corrugatedpolyethylene

0.0100.013

Smooth

0.0090.015

Corrugated

0.0180.025

Spiralribmetalpipe(smooth)
Vitrifiedclay

0.0120.013

Pipes

0.0110.015

Linerplates

0.0130.017

Polyvinylchloride(PVC)(smooth)

0.0090.011

Table49note:Manningsnforcorrugatedpipesisafunctionofthecorrugationsize,pipesize,and
whetherthecorrugationsareannularorhelical(seeUSGS1993).

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